July 4, 2014

I know that almost everyone is out and about today, but I’m not. Here are a few links for those stuck at home on this hot, uncomfortable day:

First, a series of links about America. Kevin DeYoung discusses life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Ultimately, he is thankful that he can call himself an American. Gene Veith discusses some of what he loves about America. Finally, Russell Moore compares Jefferson’s wonderful legacy with impact of Christ’s empty grave.

Paul Tripp walks through two kinds of anger, one good and one bad. Anger lurks in many of our hearts.

Every now and then I get asked if cremation is okay. Nick Batzig attempts to deal with the issue from a Biblical perspective. The short answer for me that burial is best, yet I wouldn’t say cremation is wrong.

June 27, 2012

For years I’ve struggled with the idea of the American Flag in a church sanctuary. In my view, an American Flag works better in a church foyer than it does in the place where there is an emphasis on the Kingdom of Heaven rather than a kingdom of this earth. It isn’t a hill I would die on, however, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Here Western Seminary’s Chad Hall weighs in on the issue. I appreciate what he has to say. Here’s a quote:

Conservative Christians rightly resist religious syncretism (mixing Christianity with aspects of another religion in order to make our faith more palatable to those who are sympathetic to the other religion and who don’t wish to fully let go of it), but we fail to see that equal and greater harm comes from the syncretism of Christianity and nationalism. As Christians, we resist nationalism in all forms, especially those forms that would hijack the story of God’s activity in the world, that would synthesize national identity with His hopes and plans for creating, saving, and sustaining all peoples of the earth.